Apparatus for treating granular materials.



A. A. LANAUX. APPARATUS FOR TREATING GRANULAR MATERIALS. APPLIOATION PILED DEO.19, 1911.

1,042,929. Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

II "I lmmm n al'kowcg COLUA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BROWN, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ANI) BISMARCK A. STEINHAGEN, AND THREE-EIGHTHS TO WILLIAM B. H. MCFADDIN, BOTH OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING GRANULAR MATERIALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

I Application filed December 19, 1911. Serial No. 666,770.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. LANAUX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaumont, in the county of J eiferson and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Granular Materials, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for cleaning, decorticating, or pearling cereals or other granular material, being particularly adapted to rice milling.

The object of the invention is the provision of a machine for the efficient and thorough treatment of the grain to properly clean, decorticate, or pearl the same in a rapid and thorough manner and to obviate the difficulties encountered in carrying out the processes which are at present practised.

Further objects of this invent-ion will appear as the following specific description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this application, and in which the figure is a vertical sectional view through the machine.

In carrying out the invention, I preferably use a centrifuge in the form of a bowl 1 which is carried upon the end of the spindle 2 and is rotated in any suitable manner and at any required speed to obtain the desired results. The bowl is PI'OVldBClWltll a plurality of small perforations throughout its sides which are of such diameter to permit the passage of the abrasive material and of insufficient size to permit the passage of cereal or other material being treated. The upper end of the bowl is provided with an inwardly curved annular flange 3 which produces a restriction, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

Carried by any suitable support, not shown, is a feeding tube 4 which extends into the bowl to a point adjacent the bottom thereof and is provided with the hopper 5 at its upper end and a valve within its length, as shown at 6, to regulate the flow of grain through the tube to thebowl. Supported upon the tube is a pipe 7 having a plurality of blast nozzles 8 projecting therefrom so as to direct a blast against the sides of the bowl. Adjustably mounted upon the tube is an adjustable scraper or gage, which being set a given distance from the wall of the bowl will regulate the thickness of the wall of grain, as will be hereinafter described, rising along the sides of the bowl and will overcome the angularity in this wall of grain which would otherwise exist from the base up.

Immediately above the scraper or gage or set at any suit-able point around the bowl, preferably opposite to the sand blast nozzles, is a wire bristle brush 9 which may be stationary or free to rotate independently of the bowl, as may be found desirable.

Extending around the bowl and free therefrom is a casing 10 which is provided at its upper end with an inwardly turned flange 11 to prevent the escape of the grain as 1t passes over the restrictive flange and at its lower end with an inturned bottom which terminates in a discharge spout 12.

In carrying out the process, the rice or other granular material being operated upon, is placed in the hopper and it is fed through the tube" controlled by the operation of the gate or valve 6. As the material falls upon the base or bottom of the bowl, it is picked up and carried by centrifugal force to the sides and spread out into the even wall by the scraper or gage member. Centrifugal force imparted to the grain causes it to rise along the sides of the bowl, pass over the restricting flange which controls the speed according to the amount fed by the gate and out into the casing 10. A suitable abrasive material is forced through the pipe 7 and projecting against the wall of the grain by an air blast, while the brush upsets the grain or turns it over so as to present new surfaces to the sand blast, thereby completely acting upon all sides of the grain or the material being acted upon and producing a complete decortication. The brush also tends to remove particles from the grain which have not been dislodged by the sand blast. v

It must be clearly understood that any type of brush may be used for producing the action before described.

The bowl being foraminous permits the escape of mostof the abrasive material through the foramina into the casing and also permits the escape of air which acts to dry the grain.

The centrifuge may be used with the hot blast to dry the grain or with a water jet to wash the grain. This water jet may be used in combination with the brush or without the same. Cereals may be steamed in a similar manner and by employing a means for holding the granular material in pcsition to be subjected to a blast of cleaning, drying, polishing, or finishing material.

The machine may be used wit-h any suitable abrasive material such as sand, emery, iron or steel particles, ground cereals, hull, or the like forced into contact with the grain by an air, steam, or water blast.

What is claimed is 1. A machine of the character described comprising a centrifuge, means for feeding granular material to the centrifuge, means to cause the grain to travel over the walls of the centrifuge in a stream of even thickness, and means for subjecting the grain therein to an abrasive blast.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a rotating bowl, means for feeding grain thereto, means to cause the grain to travel over the walls of the centrifuge in a stream of even thickness, means for subjecting the grain therein to an abrasive blast, and means for upsetting the grains within the bowl.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a perforated bowl, means for feeding a quantity of grain to the bowl, means for regulating the amount of grain fed to the bowl, means to cause the grain to travel over the walls of the centrifuge in a stream of even thickness, means for subjecting the grain in the bowl to an abrasive blast, and means for causing all sides of the grain to be presented to the blast.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a grain feeding device, means to receive the grain from the feeding device and to cause it to travel in a rotary path and across the rotary path, means to cause the grain to travel over the walls of the centrifuge in a stream of even thickness,

means for subjecting the grain to an abrasive blast, and means to upset or turn over the grain in its travel whereby all sides of the same will be subjected to the blast.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a rotating bowl, means for feeding the grain thereto, including a valve, means for subjecting the grain therein to an abrasive blast, means for upsetting the grain within the bowl, and means to regulate the speed of the grain in its travel in accordance with the feeding means.

6. A machine of the character described comprising a grain feeding device including a valve, means to receive the grain from the feeding device and to cause it to travel in a rotary path and across the rotary path, means for subjecting the grain to an abrasive blast, means to restrict the discharge of the grain and thereby regulating the speed of the same in accordance with the feed through the feeding device, and means to upset the grain in its travel whereby all sides of the same will be presented to the blast.

In testimony'whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED A. LANAUX.

Witnesses:

L. W. I'IOUK, P. L. BURGESS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

